Philippines Home Infusion Therapy Market

Philippines Home Infusion Therapy Market Executive Summary

The Philippines Home Infusion Therapy market is at around $79.1 Mn in 2023 and is projected to reach $140.9 Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period.

Home infusion therapy involves the administration of drugs to a patient at their own residence and excludes hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, clinics, infusion suites and provider offices. The drugs and biologicals are safely administered either subcutaneously or intravenously through a durable medical equipment (DME) such as needle or catheter. The therapies commonly delivered through infusion include anti-infectives, parenteral nutrition, hydration, chemotherapy, pain management, inotropes, immune globulin, and many more. Home infusion can also be used for certain special therapies, such as enteral nutrition and specialized medications (e.g., growth hormone) that can be administered via an IV-line, subcutaneous injection, or intramuscular injection. For many acute and chronic illnesses, home infusion is a safer and efficient substitute for hospital care. Diseases of the immune system (Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis), infections that do not respond to oral antibiotics, cancer, dehydration, and gastrointestinal diseases are among the conditions that commonly require infusion therapy. Home infusion therapy has gained much attention in the healthcare sector as it offers many benefits over the in-patient treatment provided in the hospitals. Inpatient treatment can be expensive for patients who need long-term rehabilitation, and it also keeps them from returning to their normal routine. Contrastingly, home infusion therapy allows the patients to receive parenteral medications in the comfort of their homes at a comparatively lower cost. Thus, the number of treatments offered at home continues to grow as quality-of-life benefits and improved clinical outcomes are demonstrated for individuals who receive home infusion therapy.

The Philippines faces a significant challenge in managing chronic diseases, placing an immense burden on individuals, families, healthcare system, and the economy. The factors driving the epidemic of chronic diseases in Philippines include urbanization, industrialization, changing dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. Therefore, the Philippines Home Infusion Therapy Market is driven by significant factors such as the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, expanding geriatric population, and technological advancements. However, uncertain reimbursement policies, limited availability of nurses, and infrastructure and accessibility issues restrict the growth and potential of the market.

The major players of the Philippines Home Infusion Therapy Market are Terumo Corporation, Nipro Corporation, Baxter International, ICU Medical (Smiths Medical), Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), and Fresenius Kabi, among others.

Market Dynamics

Market Growth Drivers

Rising Prevalence of Chronic Diseases: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) account for a staggering 68% of all deaths in Philippines. To overcome this disease burden, home infusion offers a safe and effective method as it is convenient and affordable, leading to improved patient adherence and treatment outcomes. For example, chemotherapy medications can be safely given to cancer patients at home, which lowers hospital stays and enhances patient comfort while receiving treatment. For patients with extensive diabetes care needs, insulin or other drugs can also be administered at home by infusion. Consequently, there is an increasing need for novel and efficient treatment approaches due to the increased prevalence of chronic illnesses. Because of its affordability, flexibility to different chronic conditions, and ease of use, home infusion therapy is becoming more and more popular as a means of managing chronic illnesses and enhancing patient quality of life, which is driving the market’s overall expansion.

Expanding Geriatric Population: People are more prone to long-term illnesses including diabetes, heart failure, and autoimmune disorders as they age. Many times, these illnesses necessitate long-term care using drugs that may be efficiently administered at home via infusion therapy. Moreover, the aging population is marked by a decline in mobility, which makes regular hospital visits difficult. A practical substitute is home infusion therapy, which enables patients to receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes, enhancing their quality of life and lessening the strain on caregivers. Furthermore, hospital environments can raise the risk of infection for older persons, who are more vulnerable to illnesses. However, home infusion therapy can improve patient outcomes by lowering the chance of contracting infections acquired outside of a hospital. The market for home infusion therapy is ultimately driven by the number of potential patients who may need it to manage chronic diseases, which is generally increased with the aging population.

Technological advancements: The home infusion therapy market is expected to grow at a high rate due to the numerous advantages that technological advancements provide. When compared to conventional intravenous infusion techniques, wearable infusion devices provide patients more flexibility and comfort by enabling continuous or long-term drug delivery subcutaneously. Improved insertion methods, a lower risk of infection, and longer wear periods are all provided by advanced catheter technologies, which increase patient comfort and treatment compliance. These technical developments result in better patient acceptance, a wider range of treatments, greater efficiency for medical professionals, and lower costs, all of which raise demand and fuel the market for home infusion therapy.

Market Restraints

Uncertain Reimbursement Policies: The varied and unclear reimbursement policies from private insurance companies and the government can limit patient access to home infusion therapy. Even though, home infusion therapy is much more affordable to patients rather than receiving in-patient care, there can be high costs associated with certain speciality infusion therapies. These high costs associated with specialty infusion treatment may discourage patients, especially those without adequate insurance coverage. Due to this, the Home Infusion Therapy Market gets affected as it faces resistance from the patients.

Limited Availability of Nurses: One of the major challenges of home infusion therapy is the shortage of trained nurses which results in fewer people being able to receive care at home and lengthier wait times. Prolonged wait times eventually prevents patients from using home infusion therapy and choose an alternative treatment. To attract and retain qualified healthcare professions, providers of home infusion therapy may need to offer higher salaries. This increases the operating expenses, which leads to overall high cost of the treatment, further restricting the market access. Thus, the market for home infusion therapy is constrained by a lack of competent workers which ultimately slows the market growth.

Infrastructure and Accessibility Issues: In isolated or rural places, the availability of home infusion therapy services may be restricted. Patients who do not have access to qualified clinicians and necessary equipment for the home infusion therapy suffer. Additionally, the growth of home infusion therapy in some areas may not have sufficient cold chain logistics for the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive drugs. As a result, this impacts the expansion of the home infusion therapy market as a whole.

Regulatory Landscape and Reimbursement Scenario

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines is a health regulatory agency under the Department of Health responsible for the licensing, monitoring, and regulation of the drugs, foods, cosmetics, vaccines, and medical devices in the Republic of the Philippines.

New drug products can enter the Philippines in one of two ways: either an Abridged Review or a Verification Review. Based on a previous evaluation from an RDRA (Reference Drug Regulatory Agency), an Abridged Review is a limited independent examination of particular sections of the dossier or submission for acceptability of use under local conditions and regulatory requirements. This can be used if the drug product, vaccine, or biological has already received approval from an RDRA and is within three years of that approval date. The Verification Review describes an evaluation process in which the FDA merely verifies the submission and confirms that the product complies with the standards, requirements, and registration conditions that have been approved by the RDRAs after the submission has been assessed and approved by at least two (2) RDRAs. The Abridged Review and Verification Review have an approval time period of not more 45 and 30 working days, respectively.

The reimbursement landscape for healthcare in the Philippines is complex and constantly evolving. The government of the Philippines provides funding for a public healthcare system. For some residents, especially the underprivileged, this system offers basic medical care at discounted costs or even without charge. Access to experts and cutting-edge treatments, however, may be restricted. Compared to the public sector, more services are offered by the private healthcare system, such as sophisticated procedures and diagnostics, reduced waiting periods, and choice of medical facilities and experts. A government-owned initiative, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) provides employees in the formal sector and their dependents with a mandated national health insurance plan. A percentage of the cost of hospitalization and specific outpatient services in approved public and private hospitals is covered by PhilHealth. Next, the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) is a government initiative that offers low-income families financial support for a range of needs, including healthcare.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

Here are some of the major key players in the Philippines Home Infusion Therapy Market:

• Terumo Corporation
• Nipro Corporation
• Baxter International
• ICU Medical (Smiths Medical)
• Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD)
• Fresenius Kabi
• Option Care Health
• Medtronic
• B. Braun Melsungen AG
• CareFusion Corporation